PETA angers national group after alleged dognapping

Wilber Zarate says two people in a van marked "PETA" stole his dog at his home. The two returned days later with a fruit basket and said the pet had been euthanized.
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A no-kill group is petitioning the Virginia state veterinarian to revoke PETA's status as an animal shelter. State Senator Lynwood Lewis Jr. also asked the VDACS commissioner to review the case.

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Wilber Zarate of Hopeton holds a photograph of his family dog, Maya, on the porch of his home. Zarate said two people in a van marked “PETA” stole his Chihuahua recently.(Photo: Staff photo by Jay Diem)Buy Photo

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A no-kill group is petitioning the Virginia state veterinarian to revoke PETA's status as a shelter.

The group cited an incident where PETA workers allegedly took and killed a Hopeton family's dog.

The letter said PETA uses its shelter designation to acquire animals for the purpose of killing them.

State Senator Lynwood Lewis Jr. also asked the VDACS commissioner to review the case.

A California-based organization is petitioning the Virginia state veterinarian to revoke People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' status as an animal shelter after two PETA workers allegedly took and killed a Hopeton family's pet Chihuahua.

The No Kill Advocacy Center in a Dec. 11 letter to Dr. Carolyn Bissett said the Oct. 18 incident is evidence PETA does not meet the state's legal definition of an animal shelter.

Attorney Nathan J. Winograd in the letter said PETA "is using its designation as an animal shelter to deceive the public and acquire animals for the purpose of killing them."

The Accomack County Sheriff's office arrested PETA staff members Victoria Jean Carey and Jennifer Lisa Woods, both of Virginia Beach, in November. Both were charged with larceny of a dog and released on personal recognizance bond.

But Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Agar declined to prosecute the case, saying there wasn't evidence of criminal intent. His decision sparked a petition asking Agar to change his mind and a protest rally outside his office in downtown Accomac.

A Facebook group, Stand for Maya, has garnered support from nearly 8,000 people since it was started in November.

Supporters have since started a second petition, this one asking Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring to assign a special prosecutor to review the facts in the case.

Winograd said PETA's actions in the case and in other previous incidents "potentially violate several state statutes and regulations," including criminal statutes against larceny; a statute that requires shelters to notify the local animal control authority when a stray animal is impoundment and to hold it for at least five days; and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulations governing euthanasia of animals at shelters.

The organization last year unsuccessfully petitioned the previous state veterinarian to revoke PETA's shelter status.

Additionally, State Senator Lynwood Lewis Jr., who represents Accomack County, wrote VDACS Commissioner Sandra J. Adams about the Chihuahua's taking.

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A security camera captured footage of PETA workers taking an Accomack family's dog, police say. The chihuahua was euthanized, sparking outrage. A rally will take place Monday to protest a family pet's killing.

"I would hope and urge VDACS to use whatever regulatory authority it may have over the activities of PETA in this incident as certainly, I think, they are worthy of intense review and scrutiny," Lewis said in a Dec. 8 letter.